The head of a Castle Shannon learning center is accused of stealing more than $800,000 from the organization’s coffers.

Sammi Jo Whittaker, 36, of Beechview, was arraigned Tuesday on charges of forgery, theft by unlawful taking, access device fraud, receiving stolen property, dealing in the proceeds of illegal activity, unlawful use of a computer, criminal attempt and misapplication of entrusted property, court records show. Thirteen of the counts against her are felonies.

Whittaker was being held Tuesday at Allegheny County Jail on $10,000 bail, court records show. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 17.

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. said that during her time as director of Creative Minds Learning Center, Whittaker used her access to the center’s bank account and credit cards to pay for various personal expenses. Emilie Stock — the owner of the center, which opened in 2007 — first reported the suspected theft to Castle Shannon police in March, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case.

Over the past two years, the complaint said, Stock “noticed a change in (Whittaker’s) transparency with regards to financial information.”

Whittaker claimed to have bought items for the learning center on her own and said she’d reimburse herself, but then continually failed to produce receipts, the complaint said.

When Stock looked into the finances, she discovered “roughly $200,000 of unaccounted transactions” on the company’s credit card, the complaint said. The expenses included PayPal transactions, Amazon charges, payments to Pittsburgh PUNCH and “Pittsburgh Punch Fight Train Sweat,” and other merchandise.

There also were thousands of dollars in overdraft fees, cash advances and over-limit charges, the complaint said.

Investigators discovered Whittaker had forged signatures on more than 280 checks for her personal benefit, according to Zappala. Whittaker also is accused of funneling funds from the organization to her personal accounts via PayPal.

The owner recently confronted Whittaker, who said the company’s credit card “could have been accidentally linked to her personal accounts,” the complaint said. Whittaker did not provide “a single receipt to account for the unauthorized transactions.”

Whittaker was fired in March, the complaint said. No attorney is listed in Whittaker’s court record.

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